Green Lantern

Movie review by S. Jhoanna Robledo, Common Sense Media
Green Lantern Poster Image

Common Sense says

age 12+

Entertaining but superficial superhero thriller.

PG-13 2011 105 minutes
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Parents say

age 12+

Based on 25 reviews

Kids say

age 11+

Based on 63 reviews

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A Lot or a Little?

The parents' guide to what's in this movie.

What Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this big-screen take on the classic comic book superhero, starring Ryan Reynolds as a cocky test pilot who morphs into a superhero, offers lots of fast-paced, combat-filled action, much of it cartoonish in nature. And the movie's Parallax monster is pretty scary (especially for younger kids), but there's isn't much in the way of blood or gore -- though one scene does show a syringe going into a character's eye. The movie is humorous at some moments and intense during others; it superficially addresses heavy topics like death and childhood trauma. Expect infrequent swearing ("s--t," "a--hole," etc.), some drinking (mostly social, by adults), flirting, kissing, and a shot or two of characters in skimpy apparel (one after an implied one-night stand).

Community Reviews

gogo108
gogo108 Adult
August 7, 2021
age 10+

GREEN LANTERN

This movie is ok. The green lanterns mask looks kind of ridiculous, and the story is a lot like other movies. The movie does not, in my opinion have that much violence, compared to some other super hero movies like, Captain America. There is some sexy stuff and not much cursing. It is kind of what a lot of movies are like. The evil character looks kind of creepy, and some of the fight scenes are kind of intense. The effects in this movie in my opinion are very good. The last thing I have to say is that i feel like they kind of rushed the story to fit in 1 movie. In conclusion this movie is ok for 10/11.
GraduateReviews
GraduateReviews Adult
September 14, 2018
age 12+

Wha-- like, what even... *ugh*

There's a reason that Ryan Reynolds naturally refers to this pile of garbage as his worst movie. That being said, I'm going to be blunt: this movie sucks. It is a masterclass in stupidity and a perfect example of studio interference combined with a terrible, terrible, concept. This movie could have been good. This movie should have been good! The director and producers had decades of Green Lantern comics upon which they could base their movie! So much wasted potential... so much. To appease the people who use this website as a reference tool: yeah, sure, okay. This movie is probably fine for 12 year olds. Some creepy imagery. Superhero violence. It's all over the top and dumb. And fine, Ryan Reynolds's character (I can't even remember his name) is a pretty cool guy. Good role models abound, as the Green Lantern people are protectors of the universe, blah, blah, blah. But PLEASE! There are so many good superhero movies out there. Go... shoo... don't watch this movie. Go watch The Avengers or The Dark Knight or Deadpool or Spider-Man or even The Crow for gods sake. Just don't subject yourself to this monstrosity. Ever.

This title has:

Great role models
Too much violence
Too much swearing
See all 25 parent reviews

What's the Story?

A beloved member of the Green Lantern corps of intergalactic police has died, felled by a monster known as the Parallax that feeds off fear. The glowing ring that empowers him also hunts for his successor; surprisingly, it chooses Hal Jordan (Ryan Reynolds), a headstrong, impulsive, irresponsible, but talented pilot who's still plagued by the death of his father (also a flyer) in a fiery crash. Hal's not sure he's up for the job (though he's clearly tickled by the idea that he's a superhero). As former paramour/colleague Carol Ferris (Blake Lively) reminds him, he's more capable than he allows himself to be -- but can he face off with the Parallax, even if it means confronting a childhood friend (Peter Sarsgaard)?

Is It Any Good?

Buoyant, irreverent, and not entirely satisfying, GREEN LANTERN is, as superhero movies go, heavy on the artillery (special effects) and light on profundity. Is it really that difficult to create a superhero with complexity (Spider-Man and Iron Man excepted)? It's not for lack of material; Hal Jordan, after all, has plenty of childhood trauma to mine. Although the movie acknowledges his torment, it spends much more time painting him as a bad-boy-with-a-heart enlivened by a ring that allows him to perform super-cool tricks. (As Hammond, Saarsgard does a better job at three-dimensionality but is also plagued by too much theatricality.)

The movie admittedly engaging at first -- wouldn't you be agog, too, if you discovered you had the ability to create anything simply from willpower and thought? But the conceit gets old quickly. Characters that could easily have lent Hal gravitas -- his nephew, his brothers -- disappear without a trace. Any nod to his shades of gray are quickly erased. This isn't to say that Reynolds fails; on the contrary, his easy charm appeals. But next time (if there is a next time), can his Jordan plumb more emotional depths?

Talk to Your Kids About ...

  • Families can talk about why Hal is reluctant to step into his role. What holds him back? Is this a typical reaction of would-be superheroes in other movies?

  • Do the movie's special effects minimize the violence? How does the impact of this kind of violence compare to more realistically violent scenes?

Movie Details

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    Fun movie, but may be too intense for younger kids.

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